Surface-protective film-forming materials



United States Patent SURFACE-PROTECTIVE FILM-FORMING MATERIALS Eugene D.Rudd, 3929 Cleveland Ave., St. Louis 10, M0.

N0 Drawing. Filed Oct. 9, 1957, Ser. No. 689,037

Claims. (Cl. 1062) This invention relates in general to coatingcompositions and, more particularly, to a surface-protective filmformingmaterial.

During the spring, summer, and early fall, throughout most areas of theUnited States, the drivers of automobiles regularly encounter flyinginsects which strike against the forward portions of the vehicle and arekilled immediately upon impact. The force of the impact usually causesthe insect to be mashed against the surface of the paint or automobilefinish and the rapidly flowing stream of warm air immediately dries theremains of the insect, leaving a hard, tightly adherent stain which isexceedingly difiicult to remove. In fact, most motorists, after drivingfor a few hours at night along a highway, will find that the radiatorgrill and other forward portions of the vehicle are literally coveredwith a heavily encrusted mass of insect stains which cannot be readilywashed olf. Subsequent efforts to remove the insect stains after a fewhours of night driving often necessitates the use of strong detergentswhich will destroy the wax finish or polish which has been applied tothe surface of the vehicle and sometimes the removal of insect stainsactually causes damage to the paint.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to providea film-forming material which, when applied to an automobile finish,will coat the surfaces with a transparent water soluble and adherentprotective film.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a coatingcomposition which is adapted to form a film of the type stated, whichfilm will resist penetration by dead insects and similar road-soil.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a coatingcomposition of the type stated which is Watersoluble and can be readilywashed from a surface to which it has been applied without the use ofdetergents or strong solvents.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in thenovel means and processes of matter presently described and pointed outin the claims.

Broadly speaking, the present invention resides in forming an aqueoussolution of a water-soluble material and a minute quantity of dispersingagent, the resulting aqueous solution being capable of drying upon thesurfaces of an automobile to form a thin, transparent, watersolublecoating that can be washed away very readily and will carry with it anyinsect-remains or similar road-soil which may be present on the outersurfaces thereof.

It has been found in connection with the present invention that sodiumcarboxymethylcellulose may be incorporated in an aqueous solutiontogether with a small percentage of a wetting agent of the anionic type,such as an alkyl aryl sulfonate. The resulting aqueous solution may besponged, brushed, or sprayed upon the forward portions of theautomobile, such as the radiator, radiator grill, and fenders, and willspread out smoothly to form a thin, transparent film thereon which driesreadily and adherently to provide an invisible protective coating. Suchcoatings have been found to be impervious to the 2,986,471 Patented May30, 1961 type of colloidal liquids resulting when bugs and insects aremashed against the forward portion of the vehicle. Consequently, theinsect-remains, road-soil, and other similar extraneous material, willnot penetrate to the automobile paint, but will be supported on thetransparent fihn formed by the coating composition of the presentinvention. Subsequently, the coating composition of the presentinvention may be washed off by the simple application of water and allinsect-remains, road-soil, and the like, will be immediately sluiced offas the coating composition dissolves and is washed away. The underlyingpaint surface will remain unblemished and undamaged. After theautomobile has been washed, a new coating may be applied in the samemanner as before.

By way of illustration, and not by way of limitation, the following areexamples of coating compositions made in accordance with the presentinvention:

Example I Percent by weight Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (lowviscosity) 5 Alkyl aryl sulfonate (Santomerse S) 0.5

Water, balance to make Example II Percent by weight Sodiumcarboxymethylcellulose (low viscosity) 7 Alkyl aryl sulfonate(Santomerse S) 0.8

Water, balance to. make 100%.

The materials can be formed into an aqueous solution substantially inthe manner described in connection with Example 1.

Example III Percent by weight Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (lowviscosity) 5 Sodium N-methyl-N-acyltaurate 0.10

Water, balance to make 100%.

The materials can be formed into an aqueous solution substantially inthe manner described in connection with Example I.

Example IV Percent by weight Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (lowviscosity) 5 Sodium hexadecyl sulfate 0.06

Water, balance to make 100%.

The materials can be formed into an aqueous solution substantially inthe manner described in connection with Example 1.

Example V Percent by weight Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (lowviscosity) 3 Sodium lauryl sulfate 0.03

Water, balance to make 100%.

The materials can be formed into an aqueous solution in the mannersubstantially described in connection with Example I.

Example VI Percent by weight Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (lowviscosity) 5 Sodium Z-ethylhexene sulfonate 0.05

Water, balance to make 100%.

The materials can be formed into an aqueous solution in the mannersubstantially described in connection with Example I.

It has also been found in-connection with the present invention thatnon-ionic wetting agents may also be used, although slightly greaterquantities are desirable. For example, formulations similar to thoseabove specified have been successfully made and found to be efiectiveusing such wetting agents as polyalkylene glycol ether, polyoxyethyleneether, alcohol, and'alkyl phenol ether.

Any one of the foregoing compositions of substantially similar naturecan be applied in a thin, uniform transparent film upon the surfaces ofthe automobile vehicle and will dry to an adherent invisible protectivecoating, which will remain on the surface of the vehicle until washedaway by water. Such coating compositions are extremely simple to use andare found to be relatively inexpensive. Furthermore, said coatingcompositions are eifective to protect the paint surfaces of theautomobile 3. A transparent water-white coating composition capable ofdrying upon the surface of automobiles and the like to form asubstantially invisible protective film thereon, said coating consistingsubstantially of:

Percent by weight Sodium carboxymethylcellulose 5 Sodium hexadecylsulfate 0.05

Water, balance to make 100%.

from pitting or corrosion due to the acidic nature of many types ofinsect-remains and effectively forms a mechanical barrier between theinsect-remains, road-soil, and the like, and the surface of the paint orother similar finish.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form,construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of thesurface-protective film-forming materials and in the steps of itsproduction may be made and substituted for those herein shown anddescribed without departing from the nature and principle of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A transparent water-white coating composition capable of drying uponthe surface of automobiles and the like to form a substantiallyinvisible protective film thereon, said coating consisting substantiallyof:

Percent by weight Sodium carboxymethylcellulose 3-7 Alkyl aryl sulfonate.03-0.8 Water, balance to make 100%.

2. A transparent water-white coating composition capable of drying uponthe surface of automobiles and the like to form a substantiallyinvisible protective film thereon, said coating consisting substantiallyof:

Percent by weight Sodium carboxymethylcellulose 5 SodiumN-methyl-N-acyltaurate 0.10 Water, balance to make 100%.

4. A transparent water-white coating composition capable of drying uponthe surface of automobiles and the like to form a substantiallyinvisible protective film thereon, said coating consisting substantiallyof:

Percent by weight Sodium carboxymethylccllulose 3 Sodium lauryl sulfate0.3 Water, balance to make 100%.

5. A transparent water-white coating composition capable of drying uponthe surface of automobiles and the like to form a substantiallyinvisible protective film thereon, said coating consisting substantiallyof:

Percent by weight Sodium carboxymethylcellulose 5 Sodium 2-ethylhexenesulfonate 0.05 Water, balance to make References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,477,383 Lewis July 26, 19492,558,042 Cornwell June26, 1951 2,566,501 Smith et al. Sept. 4, 19512,579,381 Funderburk Dec. 18, 1951 2,594,431 Harris et al Apr. 29, 19522,731,353 Fain et al. Jan. 17, 1956 2,859,126 Reno Nov. 4, 19582,908,952 Benham Oct. 20, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 897,220 France Mar. 15,1945 OTHER REFERENCES Schwarz et al.: Surface Active Agents, 1949, page159.

'Ott et al.: High Polymers, vol. V (Cellulose), 1954, pp. 937-938 (partII).

1. A TRANSPARENT WATER-WHITE COATING COMPOSITION CAPABLE OF DRYING UPONTHE SURFACE OF AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE TO FORM A SUBSTANTIALLYINVISIBLE PROTECTIVE FILM THEREON, SAID COATING CONSISTING SUBSTANTIALLYOF: